NATIVITY SCENE COMES ALIVE AS CHURCH HOLDS VIGIL TO PROTEST THEFT

The figures of a Nativity scene came to life at a church in the Logan Square neighborhood Wednesday night. Traffic stopped and faces appeared in windows, and a crowd that had gathered broke into song.

But it didn`t take a miracle to make the figures come alive.

It took a thief.

Members of First Spanish United Church of Christ, dressed as the Holy Family, shepherds, the Wise Men and an angel, stood in place of the plastic figures that were stolen Dec. 9 from the church grounds at 3322 W. Wrightwood Ave.

''They stole our Nativity scene, but they didn`t steal our Christmas spirit,'' said Delia Torres, a member of the congregation. ''At first, everyone wanted to buy a new Nativity scene, but we thought we should send a message saying, `We`ve had enough.`

''We`ve let gang members and hoodlums paint graffiti on our walls and sell drugs. People are afraid to walk the streets. We`re saying: `Stop. We are not going to let you do this anymore.` ''

First Spanish United Church of Christ joined together with six other area churches and the Logan Square Neighborhood Association to stage a protest vigil. The 50 parishioners and residents sang carols in English and Spanish and ended with a rendition of ''We Shall Overcome.''

''The theft has created a spirit of brotherhood,'' says Rev. Samuel Acosta, pastor of First Spanish United Church of Christ. ''People I have never met have called to say how sorry they were. This has fired up the people`s desire to do something about their neighborhood.''

At first, Rev. Acosta said, many people were enraged by the theft. Some, especially the children, cried. ''We decided we had to put this (a Nativity scene) up as a matter of principle,'' he said.

The church also took up a collection to replace the stolen figures. It has raised more than $200 of the $300 the original scene had cost. ''One woman said she wanted to donate the last $5 she had,'' Rev. Acosta said. ''I was very moved.''

Over the last three years, an increasing number of onlookers and photographers had stopped by, as new figures were added to the traditional Christmas scene.

But never had the plastic statues, lit from within by Christmas lights, drawn the crowds that gathered on this blistery cold night in a show of commuity support.

Rev. Acosta hopes the spirit generated by the theft is maintained long past the holidays in this predominantly Hispanic community.

''The idea has caught on,'' he said. ''I hope it serves to motivate our community to take part in maintaining our neighborhood.''

''In a sense, this has been a blessing in disguise,'' Torres added.

''We`re here to say that something good has come from something evil.''